PIC18F25K22 UART ERROR

[chipfryer27]

Hi

Had a bit of free time today due to snow, even resisting temptation to play in it.

As mentioned I had a few new ESP8266 modules delivered but I can't say I'm impressed at all. I have them connected to PCs running Terminal so I can send and receive AT commands.

One machine is connected to one of the older modules and another PC to one of the new modules. Router is about three metres away through a sheet of plasterboard.

When issuing AT+CWLAP (list access points):-

Old module list all of mine and I can connect to any SSID without issue

New modules rarely see mine at all... If I can connect (1 in 25 times at very best) wdt then does a forced reset. Bear in mind these modules are straight out of the box and I have only issued AT commands. All the new modules rarely see my SSIDs.......

I swapped old/new modules physical positions on my bench and the PCs they connect to. Problems follow the new modules irrespective of test so I'm not best impressed.

It could be firmware or just terrible quality......... Incidentally I seem to have issues with most ESP modules sourced cheaply.

Regards

[chipfryer27]

Hi

Older ESP8266 is from around 2016 ish.
New ones bought a week or two ago.

Older ESP8266 has newer AT and SDK versions installed......

Regards

[chipfryer27]

Hi

Found another "old" module. It has firmware even older than the "new" modules. Connected to PC and issued AT+CWLAP and got every expected AP returned. Reset and repeated a few times. Not once did it not return all expected AP's.

Pretty conclusive that the "new" modules are just poor quality, and they will be returned.

Updated "old" module to latest Firmware, well as far as I can tell it's the latest as Espressif don't like to make it easy. Anyway it's newer than my other "old" module and still runs fine.

So now that I finally have two working modules I'll have a play, probably at weekend.

Regards

[SILVESTROS]

Hi, and many thanks ..
to make some work , what is the firmware that use to update your ESP's , to update with same firmware my 2 ESP? and how can I check if the modules work? I would like to make some tests to find an alternative solution to connect 2ESP in case that FC components not work...
Regards

[chipfryer27]

Hi

Using the UART component you can easily send "AT" commands and receive replies, and indeed this is how FC communicates and controls the modules. However, due to what I suspect is a firmware change, when using the FC initialise command, the return is not that expected by FC. So far that appears to be the only FC command affected but I haven't went through all that I'd probably use yet.

My worst case scenario would still be using FC, but instead of component I'd use the UART. At present I've both modules connected to PC's via serial adapters and I'm sending AT. Once I know what I need to do I'll either get the component to do it or as worst case the UART.

There is a lot of information online regarding these modules, some of which may be suspect and manufacturers may not actually be supplying "official" versions of firmware, so it is easy to go around in circles.

If you are connected to a PC using Terminal / PuTTY etc you can send/type commands (terminated by CR+LF)

AT should reply with OK and this should be the first thing to ensure you are talking
AT+GMR will list firmware version
AT+CWLAP will list all AP's it can see (note you may need to set Mode first)
AT+CWMODE=x (where x = 1/2/3 for station/access point/both)

My experience with any ESP module is to beware buying cheap. Might work for you but has never for me.

I'll post the links that I used to get firmware etc later as I need to go find some huskies to pull my Jeep as I'm due a ton of snow any minute now, well if weatherman is to be believed

Regards

[SILVESTROS]

Hi and thanks for info...
be careful for snow...in your opinion finally is it possible to have wifi connection between ESP's , or it's better to design a new hardware?
all the best..
regards

[chipfryer27]

Hi

I don't see any reason yet that would prohibit doing as you intend. However as mentioned earlier I'm a little concerned about expected range and would most likely test first before committing.

I'd set one up as an AP and then see if another set as Station could see/connect at furthest distance, which would be 20+ metres in your scenario. If they can't do it, well.....

Depending on your application and how much data needs to be transmitted each second, you may consider products from RF Solutions (FC has a component for one product but FC UART will easily handle). They have transparent modules that might assist (data in / data out). They are a goto supplier of mine if I need anything RF, and their support is in my experience excellent. Just as an example, a module with a few hundred metres of outdoor range costs little more than a decent 8266 with a speed of 4.8Kbps (max). From memory I think you were only sending around 30 -40 bytes per transmission so you could easily send many updates each second.

400 mile round trip now, so I hope the huskies slept well Actually the snow didn't hit where I am but I'm going into it.

Regards

[SILVESTROS]

Hi and thanks..
there is no problem about range even and below 20m..most important is to send data from one ESP to other...so I think that there is no reason to change hardware...
I like dogs, so I would like if it's possible to send me a photo of beautiful huskies.
Be careful of snow..
regards

[chipfryer27]

Hi

I have just returned and I don't know what all the fuss is about Drove pretty much the length of Scotland and back with nothing but blue skies, sunshine and just a dusting of snow on the mountain tops. Beautiful.

Although I was joking about having Huskies at the ready, I did see a rather unusual site whilst in Longyearbyen a few years back. Depending on the time you are there it could 24/7 daylight or 24/7 darkness. I had the darkness and loved it.

As you are pretty much as close to the North pole as you can get without living in a tent, it's fair to say things are done differently. The attached are how they exercise and trained Huskies for sleds. I know the pictures are dark, it's winter and it's always dark These were probably taken around lunchtime. You really cannot appreciate just how dark it gets.

Doggies1.JPG (91.9 KiB) Viewed 1318 times

Doggies2.JPG (124.54 KiB) Viewed 1318 times

I have extremely fond memories of my time there and would go back in a heartbeat if I had the chance.

Regards

[SILVESTROS]

Hi,
nice photos...Scotland is beautiful country...mainly from far away...for us that we live in South Europe is difficult to understand the way of life in those places..dogs of North are perfect...the best friend of human..excellent life forms...
Tomorrow I'll make some changes in hardware...new li-po battery , connection and test of sensors, test of FSR, ESP setup ...we're ready I think to send data to pc...
regards